Tying machine



AP 1940' s. MATOUSEK 2,197,397

' TYING MACHINE Fil ed Nov. 11, 1936 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR II I April 1940- s. L. MATOUSEK ,39

TYING MACHINE STEPHEN L-. MATOUSEK ATTORNEY April 1940- s. MATOUSEK r ,397

TYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 11, 1956 e Sheets-Sheet :5

IO 9! r- 9'.

April 16, 1940. s. 1.. MATOUSEK TYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 11, 1936 s Sheets-Shet 4 llllllllllllllllllllll l RNEY 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 O m /1 N INVENT OR.

STEPHEN L.MATOUSEK & A 0

TYING MACHINE S. L. MATOUSEK Filed Nov. 11, 1936 April 16, 1940.

FIGS.

April 16, 1940- s. L. MATOUSEK TYING MACHINE Filed Nov. 11, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 STEPHEN MATO EK :YI'IORN S mama Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE 'rmc. mom Stephen 1.. Matousek, Dear-born, Mich. Application November 11, 1930, Serial No. 110,209

dclalms.

This invention relates to automatic tying machines, and constitutes an improvement upon the machine disclosed in my copending application Serial No.'39,945, filed September 3, 1935, which 6 has matured into Patent No. 2,096,972, dated October 26, 1937.

An important object of the present invention is to simplify and to render more compact the" construction of such tying machines, to provide a 10 machine adapted to tie a simpler yet equally effective knot, and to provide for such machines improved stock feeding mechanism, and an improved needle and shuttle construction.

Other .objects and advantages will be apparent 18 from the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a tying machine incorporating the principles of the present invention, parts being broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, parts also being broken away.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view, taken as indicated by the arrow 3 of Figure 1, the feed mechanism and supporting means being broken away.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a detailed section taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a detailed section of the needle construction.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detailed view of the mutilated bevel gear and pinion drive for the shuttle rotating mechanism.

Figure 9 isia detailed fragmentary elevational view of the {planetary gearing for driving the cord-carrying'land cutting head.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detailed side elevational view of .the cutting head.

Figure 11 is a 'front elevational view of the cutting head, showing appurtenant supporting and operating portions in section.

Figure 12 is a detailed sectional view, showing the shuttle tube in section and illustrating the 55 cord gripping means, taken substantially on the line l2-l2 of Figure 4, and looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are diagrammatic views showing the work and the tying cord, as well as the needle, shuttle and head portions, 6 progressively showing the positions they assume in performing a tying operation,

Figure 19 is a fragmentary elevational view of a tie completed and partly tightened upon the stock, and

Figure 20 is an end view of the noseof the shuttle, taken substantially on the line 20-20 of Figure 13 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, the main frame of my improved machine comprises a vertically disposed plate 2| supported upon legs 22. Bearing brackets 24 projecting horizcntally from frame plate 2| carry the vertically disposed main shaft 25, drivable by any suitable source of power, such, for example, as the electric motor 20. The work is fed downwardly through a vertically disposed work tube 20, which is preferably larger than the work, to substantially eliminate wall friction. An interchangeable gauge ring 23 centers the work at the tying station, which is located. at the gap 200 between the upper and lower sections of the work tube.

The motor is intended to operate constantly when the machine is in use, turning the shaft through the agency of a worm 21 and worm wheel 28. The worm wheel 20 is loose upon the shaft, but rigidly secured to a sleeve 31, which also carries the drum 30, indicated as formed integrally therewith. Loose upon the sleeve between the worm wheel and the drum 30 is a disc 35, and abutting the other end of drum 30 is another drum 32, of the same size as the first, secured to the shaft to provide a virtual continuation of the cylindrical surface of drum 30. A helical spring 33 is wound over both drums, acting as a clutch element to transmit the drive from the motor-driven drum 30 to the drum 32, which is attached to the shaft. The spring is at one end bent to project into disc 35, and at the other end held in the flange 36 of drum 32. Means for holding and releasing the disc at will is provided in the form of a lever 31 having an end movable into and out of the path of a lug 34 carried by the disc. The spring is so wound with respect to the direction of rotation of the sleeve and drum 30 that the drag of the sleeve and drum upon the spring tends, when the disc is held, to unwrap and expand the spring, keeping it free of binding engagement with the drum, while when 55 and rotation of the shaft tends-to wind up or' the disc is released, the spring grips the drum, rotation of which tends to tighten it. The spring then grips both drums, and transmits the drive from one to the other, while as soon as disc 85 is again blocked, the spring is expanded and drum 38 turns freely. The work, in the form of a continuous stuffed casing, which is to be tied at intervals, is fed downwardly through the work tube 20, which is formed in independent but virtually aligned upper and lower sections, the upper section being supported by bracket 44; and the lower by brackets 45-48. The work tube assembly is carried in vertical position upon the opposite side of the frame member 2| from the main shaft 25. The work tube 28 is open at the top and bottom of the machine, the sausage casing or other work being fed into the tube from above, and after tying allowed to fall from the bottom of the tube upon or into any desired receiving rece tacle or conveyor (not shown) The feed mechanism The work feeding mechanism, carried on top of the machine, is driven from the main shaft 25,

'through bevel gears as 5l-52. Gear 5| is carried by an extension of the main shaft which projects above the body of the machine, while gear 52 transmits the drive to the horizontally disposed feed shaft 55. Shaft 55 is carried by brackets 5386, the former loosely supported by post 56, which may comprise an enlarged upstanding extension of shaft 25. Bracket 58 is independently swingable about the axis of the main shaft, and bracket 85 rigidly but adjustably secured to the top of post 54, as by cap screw 69.

Although the main shaft rotates continuously, the work must be fed intermittently, and halted at desired intervals during which the tying operations are performed. Such intermittent feeding is effected by a feed wheel 50 having a workholding rim provided with gripping fingers as 50A which hold the relatively soft and deformable surface of the work with suflicient firmness to insure movement of the work when the 'wheel is rotated. The feed wheel is carried upon the end of shaft 55 and arranged tangentially with respect to the extended axis of the work tube 28. The feed wheel is preferably formed of sheet metal, its rim having radial cuts forming the fingers 58A, which are bent laterally to the desired extent, providing in effect a notched pulleygroove in the rim of the wheel in which the work fits, and by which it is held with sufficient firmness even though passed only once over the wheel.

The feed wheel is loose upon the feed shaft,

tighten a spiral spring 51, the inner end of which is secured to a driving disc 58 fast upon the feed shaft, while the other end of the spring is secured to the feed wheel. The spring constantly exerts torsion upon the feed wheel, tending to rotate it in the same direction as, and faster than, the feed shaft. A pawl 8| carried by the feed wheel (to which it is pivotally attached by a pivot pin 82), engages and travels point first over a fixed ratchet wheel 85, allowing the feed wheel to advance but one notch at a time. The pawl is forced into engagement with the ratchet by a small torsion spring 63, the ratchet being shown directly secured as by screws 12 to the flange 81 of bracket 88. The spacing of the notches determines the angular intervals at which the feed wheel stops, and accordingly fixes the length of the links tied by the tying mechanism (presently to be described) for a given feed wheel diameter.

The spring-supporting and drive disc 58 will be seen to be larger than the ratchet 65. A pin 58 carried by the disc projects into the path of and beneath the pawl in such position that upon each rotation the pin lifts the pawl, thereby allowing the spring to advance the feed wheel, faster than the shaft 55, until the pawl catches in the next notch, where it remains, holding the wheel stationary until the pin again catches up with and lifts the pawl, releasing the wheel for another advancing movement. It will be seen,

that the tripping pin 88 never passes completely beneath the pawl, the spring advancing the wheel and pawl faster than the pin and feed shaft as soon. as the pawl is released, and the pin again tripping the pawl upon catching up with it.

When it is desired to change the length of the tied links, it is only necessary to substitute a feed wheel of different diameter, and to re-locate shaft 55 so that the new wheel is tangential to the work tube.

For this purpose the feed wheel is removably secured to its hub 58, as by means of thumb screws 64, and retained upon the shaft 55 by a headed sleeve 15, which projects through the wheel, as well as through the drive disc, ratchet and bracket members, being interposed between all of these and the shaft. The inner end of the sleeve is split and provided with a tapered thread enabling securing and releasing it with respect to the shaft by a squeeze nut 18 located upon the other side of the bracket. When the nut is loosened, longitudinal movement is possible between the shaft and sleeve, thereby allowing sliding of the .shaft 55 through the sleeve 15. Only the drive disc 58 is keyed to the sleeve 15, the remaining elements being loose with respect thereto. Ratchet 65 is fixed to the bracket flange 81, as by screws 12.

It will be seen that'when the clamping nut 16 and the cap screw 89 holding bracket 88 are loosened, the entire assembly carried by the sleeve 15 is slidable longitudinally of shaft 55 as the latter swings about the vertical axis of shaft 25, the extent of the longitudinal movement of the feed assembly being controlled in its rela tion to angular movement of the shaft by the curvature .of the curved slot 66A formed in bracket 68 to guide its movement during adjustment, so as to maintain the tangential position of The tying mechanism incorporates needle and shuttle elements, the construction of which will presently be described in detail, adapted to be reciprocated by a face cam 80 driven from the lower end of the main shaft 25 through gears 82, 83, 84. The cam encircles and is rotatable about the axis of the work tube, being carried by a sleeve or hollow shaft 8|, journaled in brackets 4548. Each face of the cam is provided with a track, one, as 85, acting to reciprocate the needle I 80, and the other, as 81, driving the shuttle H5.

Two transverse horizontal slide bars 8888, one on either side of the work tube, support slides 88-8l, the former carrying the shuttle and the latter the needle. Supplementary brackets 46A and 483, secured to plate 2|, support the ends of theslide bars, and the slides 989l are 'reciprocated thereover toward and from the tends around theedge of and beneath the cam,

carrying at its end a follower 04 which projects upwardly into engagement with track 06, whereby rotation of the cam may reciprocate the needle slide. Springs as 06-91 may be arranged to assist the return of the slids.

The construction of the needle element, carried by slide 9|, is best shown in Figures 7 and 15. The stem or body I00 of the needle is provided with a hooked extremity, the lateral opening I M of'which'is adapted to catch the cord or other tying material, while the end of the needle is inclined so' that the cord may readily slide thereover and into the opening. A tube I02 surrounds the needle body, these elements being slidable with relation to each other. A coil compression spring I03 encircling the other end of the needle tends both to retract the needle into the tube, and urge the-tube forwardly over the needle. The tube and the needle are slidable in the supports or brackets I04-I05 by which they are mounted upon the face of the slide 9|, the initial position of the needle being adjustable by means of a jam nut I 06 by which it may be locked with respect to the threaded collar I01 which serves to slidably mount the rear end of the needle in the bracket I05, such end of the needle being threaded for engagement with the nut and collar. The collar is flanged to limit rearward movement .of the needle, and the needle tube, likewise, carries a collar I08 to limit its forward movement, the setting of the collar and so of the initial position of the needle tube being adjustable by the threaded engagement of the collar with the tube, while a jam nut I09 provides for locking the collar in place. Upon forward movement of the slide 0| both the needle and needle tube I02 may interfit with the nose of the shuttle head II5, while engagement of the shuttle shoulder I I0 projecting from the needle tube acts to prevent further forward movement ,of the tube and allows the hook of the needle to be uncovered when continued forward movement produced by the slide acting through bracket I05 and the rear portion of the needle forces the latter to continue its forward movement.

It is also desired to uncover the hook of the needle as the latter aproaches the rear end of its travel, for which purpose an abutment member IIG-is provided upon brackets 46B, with which abutment the end of the needle may engage, such engagement forcing the needle forward and out of the needle tube, bracket I04 blocking forward movement of the tube at such time. The interrelated functioning of these and the other parts of the machine will become more apparent with the description of the cooperating shuttle and head portions, and their operation in the performance of a tying operation.

The shuttle mechanism, although reciprocated by slide 90, is supported partly by such slide and partly by bracket 46A. The shuttle tube III which carries the shuttle head H5 at its end, is rotatably mounted in a bracket II2 projecting from the face of the slide, and in its bearing support II4 carried by.the fixed bracket 45A. The tube is slidable in the bracket bearing II4, but held against longitudinal movement with respect to the slide. In the bracket support at its rear extremity the shuttle tube is slidably keyed in a sleeve IIO lournaled in the bracketand carrying a gear II! by which the shuttle tube and so the shuttle may be rotated.

The construction of the tapered head III of the shuttle is best shown in Figures 13 to 18 inclusive, and will presently be described in greater detail with the description of the tying operation. For present purposes it is sufficient to say that it is necessary both to reciprocate and. to rotate the shuttle at desired, timed intervals. The reciprocating movement is imparted to the slide by cam slot 81, the cam rotating constantly and the slide moving the shuttle tube and so the shuttle longitudinally through the agency of bracket II2. Between the periods in which the shuttle is required to rotate, it must be held against rotation. The intermittent rotation is derived from the main shaft 25 through gears 02 and 83, and a gear 05 which is mounted with gear 84 upon the hollow shaft 8|. Gear 55 drives a gear I22 carried upon the angularly disposed shaft I23. The other end of the shaft is journaled in bracket 46A and carries a mutilated bevel gear I24 meshing with the gear I26, mounted upon a stub shaft (undesignated) the other end of which carries a gear I29, which in turn drives gear II9 to rotate the sleeve H0 and so the shuttle tube. The teeth of the mutilated gear are of course so spaced as to impart to the shuttle tube the desired intermittent rotation.

It will be seen that reciprocating motion of the shuttle is independent of its rotation, the tube III merely sliding in the sleeve H8. The cord for tying purposes is fed through the hollow shuttle tube from a cop I25 supported upon one end of the machine, as by bracket I 21. During the retractile movement of the shuttle it is desired to pull upon the cord in order to tighten the tie formed by the machine. For this purpose gripping fingers I28, housed in a slot I30 in the shuttle tube, are movable into engagement with opposite sides of the cord to grip the same, such fingers having projecting ears engageable with the inside of sleeve IIO, when the shuttle tube is slid into the sleeve, such engagement acting to press the fingers together to grip the cord, whereby continued rearward movement of the shuttle tube may be effective to pull upon the portion of the cord which leads to the tie. As best shown in Figures 1 and 4, the needle and shuttle travel in coaxial paths beside the work, and the work tube is open in such area, in which the tie is formed. The gauge ring 23 is mounted at the top of the lower section of the work tube, merely resting or frictionally held in place upon the bracket 46 and replaceable through the opening 200 between the upper and lower sections of the work tube.

The cord is carried from the shuttle about the work by means of a head I50, traveling in a planetary orbit in alignment with the gap 200 in the work tube. The head, which also comprises a cutter for the cord, requires in addition to such planetary rotation, a reciprocating motion parallel to the axis of the work tube. The drive for this element comprises the train of gears I40I4II42, arranged at the top of the machine and transmitting a drive from the main shaft to a hollow shaft I45 surrounding the work tube and journaled in and extending downwardly from bracket 44. At its lower end, and above the tying station at the gap in the work tube,

' shaft I45 carries a plate I41, which rotates at a predetermined speed, carrying with it the cutting and cord-carryinghead element I50. The head is vertically slidable in the plate and travels in an orbit, when the plate revolves, which carries it around the work and through a transverse slot H3 in the shuttle. A spring I5I normally holds the cutting'head I in raised position, and it will be seen upon inspection of detailed figures I0 and I I that the head, sliding in a sleeve I52 encircling the same and projecting downwardly from the plate a lesser distance than does the head, may grip the cord, provided the latter is passed transversely through the slotted opening I55 formed in the head element I50, which is done in threading the machine.

The head is slidable into and out of the sleeve I52. Adjacent one end of the transverse slot I55, both the head and sleeve are relieved, as at I51-I58, to prevent severance of the cord by' shearing action in the relieved area, and allow for wedging of the cord in such area between the head and sleeve. At the other end of transverse slot I55, sharp and closely fitted surfaces are provided, which act to shear the cord when the head is urged into the sleeve by spring I5I. Slot I55 lies substantially radially with respect to the axis of plate I 41 and of work tube, and opens forwardly as the plate revolves. It will also be seen that the orbit of the head lies substantially in the plane of the gap in the work tube which constitutes the tying station, the arrangement being such that the slot in the head may pick up the cord at the desired times, when the head is in the projected position which it occupies during a substantial part of each revolution of cam I60. When the head is to grasp the cord it is retracted into the sleeve, cutting off and dropping one end of the cord and holding the other end, the latter end being then carried about the work by the head during its planetary movement.

The reciprocating motion of the head necessary to provide for severing, gripping and freeing the cord is derived from the cam I60, carried by a post I6I upstanding from the plate I41 and independently rotatable about its own axis upon the post. A gear I62, acting as a unit with and to drive the cam I60, is driven through an idler gear I63 also supported from the plate I 41, upon another post (I64). The idler meshes with a stationary gear I65, over which it rolls as the plate rotates, gear I65 being aflixed to bracket 44. It will be seen that an enlarged opening I61 is provided in the plate I41 to accommodate the spring I5I, and the shoulder upon head I50 against which it reacts, a cap I68 closing the top of such opening and supporting the cam follower I10, which by engagement with the cam I60 reciprocates the head.

As best shown in Figures 13 to 18;inclusive, the cord, designated I15, is conducted through the interior of shuttle tube III to the shuttle head II5, which is also hollow and provided with a transverse cut-out opening II 3 which exposes a section (spaced from the end) of the interior opening in the hollow shuttle. The cord does not extend through the cut-out portion, but passes out a small opening, designated I11, through the side of the shuttle body, and longitudinally along the outside of the cut-out area of the shuttle, which may be grooved to receive such part of the cord, as best shown in Figure 15. The cord returns to the interior through another small opening I18 in the nose of the shuttle, and again passes to the outside through a third small opening I19. A slot I80, extending longitudinally of the nose of the shuttle,'connects the transverse cut-out area II3 with the end of the shuttle.

Operation The various elements described are so timed that the section of the cord I15 extending from the previously made tie to the shuttle is, .at the commencement of each tying cycle, picked up by the head I50, which head is reciprocated by the cam I80 at the proper interval-just before the head reaches the approximate position indicated in Figures 13to grip and hold the portion of the cord extending from the shuttle, and cut off and allow to fall the portion extending from the tie. The work is then advanced by the feeding mechanism to position the work for the next tie. Thereafter the head continues its rotation, carrying the cord about the work in the manner shown in Figure 14, and the shuttle and needle portions advance and interfit as shown in Figure 15. During their approach, however, the shuttle is rotated to wrap the cord about the nose, forming a loop. Such rotation ceases with the transverse opening H3 in position to allow the passage laterally therethrough of the head I 50, in the manner shown in Figure 15. Complete projection of the needle into the shuttle results in engagement of the end of the shuttle with the shoulder IIO carried by the needle tube I02, forcing such tube back, against the resistance of spring I03, to expose the hooked portion of the needle, while at the same time, head I50 carries the cord transversely through the opening H3, in such manner that the cord is guided by the inclined end of the needle, and by the back wall of the shuttle, into the hooked opening IOI of the needle. Retraction of the needle then commences, the first motion comprising pulling of the needle back into the needle tube I02. The cord is thereby gripped between the needle and needle tube, and firmly held between them by the tension of spring I03, as best shown in Figure 17.

The head I50 then drops the end of the cord I60, as best shown in Figure 16, and as the needle and shuttle separate, as shown in this view and in Figure 17, the cord portion so dropped is pulled by the retreating needle out of the opening II3 through the hollow interior. of the shuttle and the slot I80. This, at the same time, due to extension of the cord through the slot, pulls the loop formed upon the nose of the'shuttle by rotation of the latter, off of the shuttle nose,

while the portion held by the needle is drawn through such loop, forming the tie as a simple overhand knot.

Both the needle and the shuttle retain their hold upon the cord ends after the tie is loosely formed in the manner described, continued retraction of the shuttle resulting in gripping of the cord by the fingers I28, so that both ends of the cord are pulled tight as the needle and shuttle continue to withdraw, tightening the knot and constricting the casing. The needle opens upon complete retraction, and head I 50, then open, strikes the cord and frees it of the needle, as shown in Figure 18, but does not pick it up. If the cord chances to stay in the slot I55 in the head, a fixed spring finger I BI carried by and projecting upwardly from the bracket 46 strips the cord from the head, as shown in Figure 13.

Thereafter the head I50, which will be seen to make two revolutions for each tie, again return ing to the position shown in Figure 13, severs the end of the cord connected -to the work, retaining its hold upon the cord portion which extends from the shuttle, again pulling the cord out of the shuttle and around the work as progressively shown in Figures 14 et seq., as another tying cycle commences.

In order to allow gripping of the cord by the fingers I28 only upon sufilcient retraction of the shuttle tube, bearing sleeve H8 may be counterbored, as at IIBA, (Fig. 16) to any desired extent, to prevent inward pressing of the gripping fingers until they have traveled into sleeve 8 to the depth of the counterbore. The fingers of course also grip the cord during advancing movement of the shuttle and shuttle tube, but this is without effect because such advancing movement is rapid enough to feed the cord as rapidly as it is demanded by the pull of head I50.

While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification, and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. Tying mechanism for relatively long and soft work, comprising a vertically disposed work-receiving portion, means for feeding work to said portion from above, and for supporting the same in depending position during tying, cord supplying means, means for carrying the cord about the work, means engageable with the ends of the section of the cord carried about the work for forming said ends into a tie, and for pulling upon at least one end thereof to tighten the tie.

2. Tying mechanism for elongated, continuous and relatively soft work, comprising a vertically disposed work-receiving member having an open area constituting a tying station, means for feeding work through said receiving member to the tying station, comprising a rotatable feed wheel by which the work is adapted to be fed downwardly into said work-receiving member, means including a shaft and tying mechanism driven thereby for forming a tie about the work at the tying station, and means connecting said shaft to the feed wheel for actuation of the latter in timed relation to the tying mechanism, including a feed shaft, means carried thereby for supporting the feed wheel, the feed shaft being substantially at right angles to the drive shaft, geared thereto and bodily swingable about the axis of the drive shaft, means for fixing the axis of the feed shaft in various angular positions, and means for moving the supporting means for the feed wheel along the feed shaft when said shaft is swung to different positions.

3. Means as set forth in claim 1 in which said means for carrying the cord about the work includes an orbitally rotatable spring finger yieldably holding the cord spaced from the work and flexible under tension upon the cord to allow the cord to snap therefrom and move inwardly into engagement with the work.

4. Tying mechanism for relatively long and limp work, comprising in combination with a source of power and a frame, a substantially vertically disposed work-receiving portion carried by the frame, said work-receiving portion having an opening therein constituting a tying station, tying mechanism operable by said source of power for forming a tie about the work at said tying station, means arranged above said tying station for feeding the work downwardly thereto, including a movable feed member operable in timed relation to the tying mechanism, said work-receiving portion being substantially larger than the work and having an opening therein constituting the tying station and through which said means for forming the cord into a tie works, and a replaceable guide ring of substantially the diameter of the work, forming a part of the work-receiving portion adjacent the tying station, through which ring the work depends and by which it is centered in the work-receiving portion.

STEPHEN L. MATOUSEK. 

